abbot

¹ American  

[ab-uht] / ˈæb ət /

noun

1. a man who is the head or superior, usually elected, of a monastery.

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Abbot ² American  

[ab-uht] / ˈæb ət /

noun

1. Charles Greeley, 1872–1973, U.S. astrophysicist.

2. Also Abbott a first name.

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abbot British  

/ ˈæbət /

noun

1. the superior of an abbey of monks

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Other Word Forms

• abbotcy noun
• abbotship noun
• subabbot noun

Etymology

Origin of abbot

First recorded before 900; Middle English, variant of abbat, from Latin abbāt- (stem of abbās ), from Greek, from Aramaic abbā; replacing Middle English, Old English abbod (compare Old High German abbat ), from Late Latin abbād- for abbāt-; Abba ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

“I am looking forward to the silence finally stopping, because 54 years of silence is a long time,” said Bishop Kassianos of Aravissos, the abbot of the seminary.

From The Wall Street Journal

The temple’s abbot, who grew up around elephants, said he would prefer if the elephants stayed in their natural habitat in Surin.

From New York Times

The abbot was killed in the middle of the night in a part of the vast monastery not covered by security cameras.

From Washington Times

Authorities carried out the death penalty on an Egyptian monk who killed the abbot of his monastery in 2018, a lawyer and the monk's brother told Reuters on Sunday.

From Reuters

“We have no problem with the abbot personally,” he said.

From New York Times

Related Words

• monk